McLean County Penguin Project

08/21/2026

Today is the deadline to submit your application to participate in the debut production for McLean County Penguin Players!

The application is 3-parts and we need all 3 forms submitted to consider your application complete. Rehearsal schedule and application links can be found at penguinprojectmclean.org/season or by emailing [email protected].

08/18/2026

Reminder: Applications due THIS Friday, August 21st for our Penguin Players debut production Night of the Macabre - a gothic horror literature themed play!

Reminder - this production will be a "unified" cast model, so instead of our traditional 1:1 pairings, mentors will be embedded within our cast to support our artist's independence goals.

Applications and rehearsal details can be found on our website at penguinprojectmclean.org/season or via email at [email protected] 🖤

08/09/2026

Applications due Friday, August 21st for our Penguin Players debut production Night of the Macabre - a gothic horror literature themed play!

Reminder - this production will be a "unified" cast model, so instead of our traditional 1:1 pairings, mentors will be embedded within our cast to support our artist's independence goals.

Applications and rehearsal details can be found on our website at penguinprojectmclean.org/season or via email at [email protected] 🖤

08/04/2026

McLean County Penguin Players debut production announcement!
Mark your calendar for Oct 24th and 25th to see Night of the Macabre by Tracy Wells.

A hunt for horror finds four friends at the Museum of the Macabre…a wax museum displaying scenes from short stories by great authors of Gothic Horror like Poe, Hawthorne, and Irving. But as unnerving as the exhibits - and the stories behind them - are…the real terror for the fearless four comes when the exhibits start to come to life!

This play celebrates great short stories of Gothic Horror, including:
“The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
“The Hand” by Guy De Maupassant
“The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs
“The Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
“The Red Room” by H.G. Wells
“The Velvet Ribbon” by Washington Irving
“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
“The Shadows on the Wall” by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
---
This production is going to be very different from our usual productions and is geared towards more mature performers and audiences.

This will be a unified model, where artists and mentors will be cast in a collaborative experience. We look forward to welcoming participants age 22+ for this cast. Prior Penguin Project experience not required!

Applications are due by Friday, August 21st and can be found on our website penguinprojectmclean.org/season or by emailing [email protected].

Rehearsals will start Monday, August 31st.

08/03/2026

Reminder: Penguin Players Info Meeting is at 7pm at Bloomington Public Library!

See you soon! 🤟

07/30/2026

Thank you WGLT and the amazing student reporter Courtney for this wonderful write-up about our alumni expansion!

Plan on learning more on Monday, August 3rd at 7pm at our Penguin Players Info Meeting at Bloomington Public Library!

The Penguin Project of McLean County is launching Penguin Players, a new community theater program built for performers with disabilities who are 22 and older. The chapter's existing theater program, which modifies full-scale musicals for the stage, serves performers ages 10 to 24.

07/25/2026

Today is the day! 🌈
Come see the Penguin Project performance on the 2nd stage at 4:30 at Bloomington Pridefest!

July is Disability Pride Month celebrating disability identity and community, marking the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and pushing for full inclusion in everyday life. The 2026 theme is “The World Works Better With Us.”

When people with disabilities are included, respected, and supported, communities work better for everyone. - Thank you to the Pridefest organizers for inviting us back to demonstrate inclusion in the performing arts matters to the Bloomington Normal community!

07/24/2026

🎉 Exciting Announcement! 🎉
McLean County Penguin Project is officially debuting our much anticipated alumni expansion: Penguin Players❗

🖤 We will be lifting a non-musical production (a gothic horror straight play compilation) in October!

Penguin Players is intended for adults age 22+ and prior Penguin Project experience is not required. This will be a "unified" experience where peer mentors are cast in the show and may support several artists, rather than our 1:1 mentorship model used for the musicals.

Please plan on attending our Information Meeting on Monday, August 3rd at Bloomington Library. We will announce the show selections at that meeting and applications will open that day. Rehearsals will start September 1st and show weekend will be October 24th and 25th!

Feel free to submit questions in advance via social media message or by email @ [email protected] 💌

We look forward to this historic experience!

07/21/2026

We are looking forward to shining bright at Bloomington-Normal Pridefest on Saturday! 🤟
Catch us on the 2nd stage 4:30-5:00!

07/16/2026

Penguin Project is proud to be asked back to perform at Bloomington-Normal Pridefest on July 25th!
July is Disability Pride Month & we are excited to share our commitment to Theatre for All! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️♿🧏‍♂️👨‍🦯🤟